Continue reading »]]> Joe Christensen and the Star Tribune have confirmed the rumors around the Santana contract offer:

The five-year, $93 million contract the Twins recently offered Johan Santana would only have kept him with the team through 2012, the Star Tribune has learned.

Santana is owed $13.25 million for next season in the final year of his four-year, $39.75 million contract. The Twins offered to terminate that deal and begin the new five-year contract, meaning they essentially offered him a four-year, $80 million extension.

…

Santana told the Twins he is looking for a six-year extension, and since the Twins were only offering four, the sides agreed the team should begin exploring trade options.

Again, the Twins are being prudent with their financial resources.  They are not willing to tie long-term money up in any player.  Rather they prefer three and four year contracts.  I cannot say that I blame them.  Much can change with a team and a player in those periods.  Locking yourself into a guaranteed contract for that period is somewhat of a gamble and not prudent for a small or mid-market team like the Twins.

My personal feeling is to get Santana signed.  However, I would rather see the five-year contract rather than a seven-year contract.  However, if the sides agreed to begin exploring trade options, I’m OK with that.  The Twins can trade away Santana now and replace him with several young talented players that will shape the future of the team headed into the 2010 opening of the new stadium.  I would rather see several solid position players to plug some of the holes (CF, 3B, 2B or SS) than a stud pitcher who influences the win-loss column once every five games.